


City Aflame (I'm Holding The Match)

by Sinnamon_Troll



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Episode: s02 Reverser, M/M, the bad guys win
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28285533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinnamon_Troll/pseuds/Sinnamon_Troll
Summary: Reverser rewrite with a bad ending, because honestly Ladybug's plan was boosh and very easy to defeat.
Relationships: Marc Anciel/Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Reverser/Nathaniel
Comments: 8
Kudos: 23
Collections: MarcNath Fics!, Secret Santa 2020





	City Aflame (I'm Holding The Match)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Username8746489](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Username8746489/gifts).



> For Username for the secret Santa thing. I know this isn't *quite* what you asked for, but I hope you still like it!

Reverser hummed happily from where he was cuddled up into Nathaniel’s chest. The other boy was purring and stroking Reverser’s hair as the city burned below. Sirens wailed, helicopters frantically skittered back and forth, buildings gave out under the stress of fractures, all creating a tumult of chaos. Reverser didn’t mind though, it was quiet where it mattered: his brain. Right after the trash meteors had hit his connection to Hawkmoth had gone blessedly  _ silent _ . There were no longer any conflicting thoughts or feelings clouding his own, allowing him to  _ think _ .

“We should give you a new name now. I can’t just keep calling you ‘Nathaniel’ when you’re like this.” Reverser sighed, leaning up to kiss his love’s cheek.

“You can just call me ‘yours’.” Nathaniel murmured, catching his chin to rub their noses together. Reverser could feel the red head’s tail curl tighter around his thigh, while the arms at his waist did the same. 

“Stop, you.” The akuma giggled playfully, rubbing one of the other man’s cat ears. “You’ve always wanted to be a superhero right? Now that you are, you need a cool name.”

“You choose. Your ideas are so much better than mine.” Nathaniel sighed, nuzzling the top of Reverser’s head. Said akuma looked down to the hand holding his, and the Cat Miraculous on it, and thought about how it got there.

“Well…”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

Nathaniel was on his way up in the elevator, but Reverser was keeping an eye on Ladybug for tricks. He didn’t trust the heroine to hand over a civilian so easily even with her current handicap. Reverser mildly wondered if she really understood just how far it went…

“AHHHHHHH!” Reverser turned about at the scream, Chatnoir running full tilt out of the elevator tied to...a kite? While Nathaniel hid behind a beam. Ladybug’s yoyo dropped down to her and the pink haired girl they had brought with them. THIS was their plan? Reverser couldn’t help but laugh to himself. This was absurd. Cartoonish even in its logic. All he had to do to win was-

“ _ Get his miraculous! _ ” 

Ugh. Hawkmoth.

“If you insist.” Reverser smirked, dodging the flying cat and directing his glider back into the Eiffel Tower. He crouched low to compensate for the narrow space, jumping off at the last moment to tackle Nathaniel to the ground as the red head tried to run. There was a crash behind him as Chat Noir’s kite tangled in the rafters, sending the cat hero sprawling.

“Please don’t hurt me.” Nathaniel begged beneath him, eyes terrified. 

“I’d never hurt you. I love you.” Reverser cooed, gently stroking the other boy’s face with the back of his hand as Chat Noir yowled in the background. “You’re so afraid of me, but I’ll help you see that you love me too. Reversion!” The akuma activated his power, pressing the paper airplane directly into Nathaniel’s heart. The artist gasped as the change took place, arching off the floor in Reverser’s grasp, before going limp. The clear ocean blue eyes beneath him no longer shown with fear, but admiration and wonder. 

“Wow.” Nathaniel breathed out in amazement. 

“Wow yourself.” Reverser giggled back, leaning in for a real kiss. 

“ _ Reverser, the Miraculous! _ ” 

Fucking Hawk- Reverser groaned and let his head thunk against Nathaniel’s chest. Then he sighed and got to his feet, giving the other boy a hand up as well. Chat Noir was hopelessly tangled in the fabric of the kite and Ladybug’s yoyo. The more he struggled the more bound he became. 

“This is just sad. Didn’t anyone tell you that playing with string was bad for kitties?” Reverser tutted, toeing the struggling hero with his boot.

“Stay away! Stay away! Ladybug, help!” The cat frantically screeched.

“Ladybug isn’t coming. Now hold still-” Reverser tried to pin down the squirming bundle long enough to find Chat Noir’s ring hand, but had to quickly stumble back when the hero called out a panicked ‘ _ Cataclysm!’.  _

“My kite!” Nathaniel yelped as the flailing cataclysm turned the red and black fabric to dust. 

“How rude. Bad kitties who destroy other people’s toys don’t get to keep theirs.” Reverser scolded mockingly, directing his glider with a finger. With a sharp downward motion the razor edged paper slammed down on the cat hero’s wrist...and through it. Reverser winced as Chat Noir  _ shrieked. _

“Is...is he ok?” Nathaniel questioned, looking pale at the sight of so much blood. 

“Not my concern.” Reverser shrugged, pulling the ring off the disembodied hand. “You are though, and I’d say we have less than a couple minutes to get above the blast zone before those fireworks go off.” The akuma said, tossing the lifeless hand aside. 

“But first…” The monochrome akuma said as he kneeled and took one of Nathaniel’s hands. “For you.” Reverser smiled to himself, almost feeling the darkness gripping his heart abate at the look of sheer joy on Nathaniel’s face as the akuma slipped the ring onto his finger.

“Reverser…” He breathed, eyes shining with emotion. 

“Shhh, later.” Reverser hushed, scooping Nathaniel into his arms bridal style as the elevator creaked behind them, no doubt Ladybug on her way up. The red head wrapped his arms around the akuma’s neck and leaned into his chest as Reverser stepped onto his glider. A moment later and they were out of the tower, racing upwards as the trash comets plummeted down. 

“ _ Reverser where are you going? Get Ladybug’s Miraculous while she is weak-! _ ”

Hawkmoth’s demands were cut off. Paris was burning.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After that the duo had found a still intact building to set down on top of to watch the scenery. Night was falling, and the fire was beautiful against the sunset. Some small animal thing had told Nathaniel the transformation words, and here they were. Reverser didn’t care if all the world was ruined so long as they were together. Ruin…

“Mmm, I think I’ll call you...  _ Cait Ruyne _ .” The newly named hero smiled widely at him, sharp teeth glinting in the fading light. 

“ _ Purrfect _ .”

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't figure out a way to organically include this in the fic, but when Reverser reversed Ladybug, he reversed EVERYTHING. Her grace, her planning skills...her luck. Which is why the lucky charm backfired so badly. It was an UN lucky charm.


End file.
